Palazzo della Ragione, Padua, Italy

The Palazzo della Ragione is a medieval town hall in Padua. The building, with its great hall on the upper floor, is reputed to have the largest roof unsupported by columns in Europe; the hall is nearly rectangular, its length 81.5m, its breadth 27m, and its height 24 m; the walls are covered with allegorical frescoes; the building stands on arches, and the upper storey is surrounded by an open loggia, not unlike that which surrounds the Basilica Palladiana in Vicenza.

The Palazzo was begun in 1172 and finished in 1219. In 1306, Fra Giovanni, an Augustinian friar, covered the whole with one roof; originally there were three roofs, spanning the three chambers into which the hall was at first divided; the internal partition walls remained till the fire of 1420, when the Venetian architects who undertook the restoration removed them, throwing all three spaces into one and forming the present great hall, the Salone. The new space was refrescoed by Nicolò Miretto and Stefano da Ferrara, working from 1425 to 1440.

A tornado destroyed the roof and damaged the building on 17 August 1756.

References:

Wikipedia

Palaces, manors and town halls in Italy

User Reviews

Aurora Musilli (9 months ago)
It's an amazing masterpiece full of frescoes. Full of history. I really wish I had time to watch and read ALL the section of the virtual free guide that is inside.

Chloe SGE (10 months ago)
Nice place with a lot of astrological frescoes. A bit expensive though

Jean Maegey (11 months ago)
Way too expensive for only one room to visit which is not that impressive. Nonetheless still interesting to pass by if you have some money and time to spend

D P Rogers (12 months ago)
Fantasic architecture and still being used as intended 500 years later!

Alex (12 months ago)
The staff could be more friendly, especially considering the price for this mandatory place to visit

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Martin M. Miles

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